Tamper-proof rotary plug valve

ABSTRACT

A rotary plug valve capable of being locked in a selected position by an elongated plunger-type lock member, the elongated plunger-type lock member, when in the locking position, being completely isolated from engagement by hammers, saws or the like used in an attempt to destroy the lock member for unauthorized opening of the rotary plug valve. The rotary plug valve also has the operating means for the valve plug member which may be removed and replaced by a closure plug, thereby eliminating the chance of damage to the valve plug member if an unauthorized attempt is made to operate the same. Preferably, the rotary plug valve, when used as a gas meter stop, is arranged to be locked in its closed position and when so locked, only authorized personnel with a nonstandard key means can reopen the rotary plug valve.

III!

O United States Patent [111 3,55

[72] Inventor John J. Smith 1,325,189 12/1919 Caner 70/176 Decatur, lll.1,472,8l6 11/1923 Smith 137/385 PP Q- 816,230 Primary E.\'aminerHenry T.Klinksiek Filed P" 1969 Attorney-Cushman, Darby and Cushman [45]Patented Jan. 12, 1971 [73] Assignee Mueller Co. Decatur, III. acorporation of Illinois ABSTRACT: A rotary plug valve capable of beinglocked in a [54] TAMPER PROOF ROTARY PLUG VALVE selected position by anelongated plunger-type lock member, 9 Claims 5 Drawing Figs theelongated plunger-typelock member, when in the locking position, bemgcompletely isolated from engagement by ham- U-S' -s aws r th d i a tt ptt d t y th l k 70/176 member for unauthorized opening of the rotary plugvalve. [51] lIlLCl. E05l) 67/36, The rotary plug Valve also has theoperating means for the E05b 19/00, F1614 35/00 valve plug member whichmay be removed and replaced by a [50] Field of Search 137/383, Closure mthereby eliminating the chance of damage to the 70/14,34,395, 163,164,172, 178, 176 valve plug member if an unauthorized attempt is made tooperate the same. Preferably, the rotary plug valve, when used [56]References cued as a gas meter stop, is arranged to be locked in itsclosed posi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tion and when so locked, onlyauthorized personnel with a 359,714 3/1887 Deming 70/ 1 76 nonstandardkey means can reopen the rotary plug valve.

made to turn the valve. plug member.

, I 1 TAMPER-PROOF ROTARYPLUG VALVE l pany to turn off the gas for anentire house. This situation could occur whena customer is delinquent inhis accopnt with the gas company or it could occur when servicemust beinter.- rupted for the making of repairs or adjustments or fortheinstallation of new gas appliances. In either situation where itisnecessary for the gas company personnel to leave the dwelling for anyperiod of 'timeand the gas meter stop must be closed, the gas meter stop.must be tamper-proof to prevent the customer from turning. on the gasto the house. In a. situation where the customer is delinquent in hisaccountgit is obvious that the gas companywants the gas toremain off sothat the company will not sustain further loss of incomeuntil-theaccount is settled. In other situations where maintenance is beingprovided, the pilot lights of the appliances will be off and aninexperienced-householder may-forget to light the same, causing leakage,which may result in explosion or other disastrous situations.

position, the plug valve being tamper-proof when in tliis position, insuch a manner that the use-of hammers, saws or the like cannot beapplied to the lock to release the same.

A further object of thepresent invention is to provide-an improvedrotary plug-valve'which, when.-locked in a selected position, has thevalve plug member completely protected from the application of anytools'to thesame if an effort-is Still another object of-the presentinvention is to provide, an improved tamper-proof rotary plugvalveutilizing a removable operating head or handle member adapted to befixedly retained in a socket provided in the end of the valve plugmember, the end of thevalveplug member not extending beyond the exteriorof the-valve body member. 1

To accomplish the above objects and advantages, the rotary plug valve'ofthe presentinvention is provided with a body member having a passagetherethrough intersected by-aplug seat, a ported valve plug memberrotatable in the plug seat between an open position and a closedposition, the valveplug member having an end portion which terminatesflush with or below the'exterior of the valve body member. Theendportion of the valve plug member is provided with an axiallyextending noncircular socket for receiving an operating head handlemember having a complementary noncircular end portion. Additionally, thevalvebody member is provided with a skirtq FIG. 2 is an end elevationalview of the valve of FIG. I. the view being partly in section andillustrating the valve in the closed position with the operating headremoved and replaced by a closure plug and with the valve plugmember'lockedtin the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary. sectional view of a portion of the rotary plugvalve and illustratingthe means for fixedly retaining the operating heador handle member in the socket valve plug member;

FIG. 4' is a perspective view of the closure plugutilized to replace theoperating head when the rotary plug valve is locked; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a typical plunger-type lock utilizedwith the rotary plug valve of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like character or referencenumerals represent like or similar parts. the rotary plug valve of thepresent invention-comprises a valve'body memberor casing generallydesignated at 10, and a valve plug member or key generally designated at12. The. valve body member 10 has a flowpassage extending therethroughconstituted-by the portsor openings 14, theouter ends of which arethreaded, as is usual for, connections with other parts of the systembeing controlled,such as theends P of sections of pipe Iine (shown inbroken'lines). Of course. other means of connection may beemployed. suchas flangeconnections or the like.

Extending laterally through the valvebodymember I0 is a valve plug seat16 open at least at one end for reception of the valveplugmember 12. Theseat-maybe tapered at least in a major or principalportion thereof. Thevalve plug, member 12 includes a major portion which isexteriorlytapered as at 18 to like extension which surrounds theopen endof the plug seat,

as well as the end, portionof the valve plug member. Suitable bores areprovided in the plug member and in the skirtlike extension whicharearranged to be aligned ina selected, position, preferably theclosed-position, and into which an elongated plunger-type lock membermay beinserted and locked, the handle member having been previouslyremoved. Additionally, the closure plug is adapted to fit into thesocket in the end portion of the valve plug member so as to protect theendportion of the valve plug member when the rotary plug valve is'locked, the closure. memberhaving a bore therethrough arranged to bealigned with the bores in the skirtlike extension of valvebody memberand theend portionof the valve plug member so that the closure plug isretained'inpositionby the lock member.

These and other objects and advantagesof the present invention will bemore apparent from the following specification. claims and drawings, inwhich:

FIG. I is a vertical. sectional view of the-rotary plug valve of.-

the present invention, the valve being shownin its open position withits operating head or handle member fixedly retained on the valve plug;

be'received in the tapered portion of the plug seat 16 of the bodymember 10. Circumferential grooves 20 are provided at either end of thetapered portion 18. of valve plug memberlZ. the grooves 20 receivingO-ring seals 22 for providing a further seal against leakage, inaddition to, the seating-surfaces of the-tapered portions 16 and 18.

Outwardly of the lower circumferential groove 20,:the valve plug member12 is provided with a reduced valvestem 24, the valvestem ,24.beingutilized to securethe valveplug member 12 in the valve-body member 10 byany suitable means, such as,,for example, those described in U.S..Pat.No. 2,653,791, issued .Sept. 29, 1953 to Frank H. Mueller. The valveplug member-l2jis further provided with a passageway-or-port 26extending therethrough, the passageway or port 26 being com is providedwith an end portion 30, which extendsupwardly V withintheskirtlikeextension 28, but terminates flushwith or beneath the outeredge 32, of the same. The end portion 300i valve plug member l2isprovided with an axially extending noncircular socket 34,=which ispreferably square or rectangular in cross section. The socket 34 isarranged to receive-either a T-shap'ed operating head or handle member36 or aclosure plug 38, as will be explained in moredetaillater in thespecification.

Referring'to FIG. 2, in which'the rotary plug valve is shown in theclosed position and locked. it will be noted that the skirtlikeextension 28 is provided with a bore 40 therethrough transverse oftheaxis of the valve plug seat 16. which intersects the axial bore 42,the bore 42 being in effect an extension of the plug seat. The-endportion 30 of the valve plug member 12 is provided with a bore 44therethrough, the bore intersecting the axially extending socket 34.-As..wilI be noted, the bore 44 has a reduced portion 45,-the purposeofwhich will be explained later in the specification. When the rotary plugvalve is in the closed position, the bores 40 and 44 are in axialalignment and provide a means for receiving elongated plunger-type lockmember 46.

Referring to FIG. 5, there is disclosed a conventional elongatedplunger-type lock member 16, such as shown in the U.S. Pat. Nos.3,002,368 and 3,186, l96,issued respectively on Oct. 3, 1961 and Jun. 1,1965 to S. M. Moberg. The plunger-type lock member 16 for the purpose ofthis description includes a first enlarged head 48 having a reducedshank 50, the shank 50 carrying a pair of steel balls 52 held in anoutward position by a plunger (not shown) reciprocal within the reducedshank 50. A second separate enlarged cup-shaped head 54 is provided, thecup-shaped head being arranged to receive the reduced shank 50 andhaving an annular groove 56 on the interior thereof which is arranged toreceive the balls 52 when the plunger (not shown) is in a positionwithin the shank 50 to prevent the balls from moving radially inwardly.This locks the two elements of the plunger-type lock member togetheruntil such time that a key means (not shown), such as disclosed ineither of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,002,368 or 3,186,] 96 isinserted axially through one of the heads to move the plunger frombetween the balls. Of course, a keymeans such as shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,033,0l6,issued May 8, 1962 to S. M. Moberg may be used.

Referring back to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the plungertype lockmember 46 is shown inserted through the bores 40 and 44. Since noportion of the elongated plunger-type lock member 46 should extendbeyond the exterior of the sleevelike extension, the overall length ofthe bore 40 must be at least as great as the overall length of the lockmember 46 when the two elements of the lock member are in lockedposition. It will now be obvious that at least a portion of the bore 44must be reduced so that the head 48 and the head 54 are arranged toengage a portion of the valve plug member to prevent the plunger-typelock member from being moved axially when in the locked position.

In FIG. 4 the closure plug 38 is disclosed and it will be noted thatthis plug is provided with a head 60 and an end portion 62, which isnoncircular in cross section and which is complementary to thenoncircular socket 34. In the end portion 62, the closure plug 38 isprovided with a bore 64 extending therethrough, the bore 64 having areduced portion 66. When it is desired to lock the rotary plug valve inthe closed position, and prior to actual insertion of the elements ofthe plungertype lock 46 into the bores 40 and 44 from oppositedirections, the closure plug 38 is inserted in the socket with its bore64 axially aligned to the bores 40 and 44. The separate parts of thelock may then be inserted and locked in position as shown in FIG. 2 andit will be noted that the closure plug 38 is flush with the top or end32 of the sleevelike extension and thus completely protects the valveplug member 12. In FIG. 2, it will be further noted that the bore 64 hasa reduced portion and also that the bore 44 has the reduced portion 45which are adjacent one another and receive the shank 50. The purpose ofhaving at least a portion of the bores 44 and 64 of greater diameterthan the shank 50 and at least sufficient to receive the cup-shaped head54 is because the length of the head is such that it is greater than thewall thickness of the skirtlike extension 28. Of course, it will beappreciated that the cupshaped head portion 54 does not necessarily haveto have such an axial length as shown, this merely being a conventionaltype of sleeve-type lock member. If the head portion 54 was of lessaxial length so that it did not extend into the bore 44 of the valveplug member 12 and the bore 64 of the closure plug 38, then the bores inthese respective elements could be made merely sufficient to accommodatethe shank 50 which would then extend all the way through the same.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the operating heador handle member 36 is provided with an end portion 70, which isnoncircular in cross section and complementary to the socket 34 and aflat T-shaped portion 71 for receiving a wrench to turn the valve plugmember 12. The end portion is provided on its surface with at least onegroove 72, which extends downwardly for a portion of its axial length.The end portion 30 of the valve plug member 12 is provided with a tappedor threaded hole 74 intermediate the ends of the bore 44, the tapped orthreaded hole 74 extending through the wall and opening to the socket34. When the rotary plug valve is closed, it is necessary to insert theoperating handle 36 into the socket, then turn the valve plug member 12to the open position, and this brings the hole 74 therein into alignmentwith the bore 40 in the skirtlike extension 28. Access may then be hadto the set screw and it can be threaded inwardly so that its end isreceived in the groove 72 and thus it retains the operating head orhandle member 36 against axial movement. The valve can then be turned onand off as desired. When it is desired to lock the valve, the set screwor retaining screw 76 must be removed while the valve is in the openposition, the handle member 36 then being utilized to turn the valve tothe closed position. The handle is then axially removed from the end ofthe valve plug member 12 and the closure plug 38 inserted with theelongated plunger type lock 46 being subsequently applied to the alignedbores as previously described.

The terminology used throughout the specification is for the purpose ofdescription and not limitation, the scope of the invention being definedin the claims.

I claim:

1. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve capable of being locked in aselected position by an elongated plunger-type lock member having afirst enlarged head on a reduced shank and a second separate enlargedcup-shaped head arranged to receive and be locked to the shank andreleased from the shank by key means axially inserted into the shank,said rotary plug valve comprising a body member having a plug seat andprovided with a flow passageway therethrough intercepted by the plugseat, a skirtlike extension on said body member and surrounding an openend of said plug seat, said skirtlike extension having a boretherethrough transverse to the axis of the plug seat and of a diameterto receive the heads of the plunger-type lock member, said bore in saidskirtlike extension having a length at least as great as the length ofthe plunger-type lock member whereby the heads of said plungertype lockmember do not extend beyond the exterior of said skirtlike extension, aplug member having a flow passage therethrough, said plug member beingrotatable in said plug seat between an open position in which its flowpassage is in registration with the flow passageway in said body memberand a closed position, said plug member having an end portion extendinginto the skirtlike extension and terminating no greater than flush withthe outer end of said skirtlike extension, a noncircular socket in theend portion of said plug member for reception of a device to rotate saidplug member. said plug member having a transverse bore in its endportion intersecting said socket and arranged to be aligned with thebore in said skirtlike extension when the plug member is in the selectedposition for locking, said bore in said plug member having at least aportion thereof with a diameter less than the diameter of the heads ofsaid plunger-type lock member. but sufficient to receive the shank ofthe same.

2. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 1. including ahandle member removably supported by said plug member, said handlemember having a noncircular end portion complementary in shape to saidsocket in the end portion in said plug member for reception therein.

3. A tampepproof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 2. includingmeans to fixedly' retain said handle member against axial movementrelative to said plug member.

4. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 3, in which saidlast mentioned means includes a set screw threadedly received in athreaded bore provided in the end portion of said plug member, said setscrew engaging the noncircular end portion of said handle and said setscrew being accessible through the transverse bore in said skirtlikeextension.

5. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 1, in which saidend portion of said plug member terminates at a predetermined distancebelow the'end portion of said skirtlike extension and including aclosureplug having an enlarged head portion and a reduced end portion ofnoncircular cross section complementary to the socket in said plugmember, said head portion beingireceived in said skirtlike extension andlying substantially flush with the end of the same when the end portionof said closure plug is inserted into said socket, said end portion ofsaid closure plug having a bore therethrough arranged to be aligned withthe bore in the end portion of said plug member for reception of aportion of the plunger type lock member.

6. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 1 in which saidbore in the end portion of said plug member is arranged to align withsaid bore in said sleevelike extension when said valve is in said closedposition.

7. in combination: an elongated plunger type lock member comprising'afirst enlarged head, a reduced shank integral with said head, and asecond enlarged cup-shaped head arranged to receive and be locked to theshank and released from the shank by key means axially inserted into theshank, and a tamper-proof rotary plug valve comprising a body memberhaving a plug seat and provided with a flow passage therethroughintersected by the seat, anannular skirtlike extension on said bodymember and surrounding an open end of said plug seat, said skirtlikeextension having a bore therethrough transverse .to the axis of the plugseat and of a diameter to receive the heads of the plunger-typelockmember, said bore in said skirtlike extension having a length atleast as great as the length of the plunger-type lock member whereby theheads of said plunger-type lock member do not extend beyond the exteriorof the skirtlike extension, a plug member having a flow passagetherethrough, said plug member being rotatable in said plug seat betweenan open position and a closed position for said valve, said plug memberhaving an end portion extending intov said skirtlike extension andterminating-no greater than flush with the outer end of the skirtlikeextension, said end portion of said plug member having a transverse boretherethrough arranged to be axially alignedwith the bore through saidskirtlike extension when,

said valve is in the closed position, said bore in said end portion ofsaid plug member having at least a portion of its length with a diameterless than the diameter of the heads of said plunger lock, but at leastas great as the diameter of the shank of the same whereby, when saidvalve is in said closed position, said plunger-typ'e lock may beinserted from opposite directions into the aligned bores and locked withthe heads abutting an area around the reduced portion of the bore insaid end portion of said plug member to prevent axial movement of thelock member with respect to the valve plug member.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7. including an axially extendingnoncircular socket in the end portion of said plug member intersectingthe bore therethrough, a closure plug having at least an end portion ofnoncircular cross section complementary to said socket, said end portionof said closure plug having a transverse bore therethrough arranged tobe aligned with the bore in the end portion of said plug member. thebore in said closure plug having a diameter sufficient to receive atleast a portion of said plunger-type lock member.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 in which the end portion of saidplug member terminates at a predetermined distance below the end portionof said skirtlike extension and in which said closure plug includes anenlarged head on its end portion, the head being received in saidskirtlike extension and lying substantially flush with the end of thesame.

1. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve capable of being locked in aselected position by an elongated plunger-type lock member having afirst enlarged head on a reduced shank and a second separate enlargedcup-shaped head arranged to receive and be locked to the shank andreleased from the shank by key means axially inserted into the shank,said rotary plug valve comprising a body member having a plug seat andprovided with a flow passageway therethrough intercepted by the plugseat, a skirtlike extension on said body member and surrounding an openend of said plug seat, said skirtlike extension having a boretherethrough transverse to the axis of the plug seat and of a diameterto receive the heads of the plunger-type lock member, said bore in saidskirtlike extension having a length at least as great as the length ofthe plunger-type lock member whereby the heads of said plunger-type lockmember do not extend beyond the exterior of said skirtlike extension, aplug member having a flow passage therethrough, said plug member beingrotatable in said plug seat between an open position in which its flowpassage is in registration with the flow passageway in said body memberand a closed position, said plug member having an end portion extendinginto the skirtlike extension and terminating no greater than flush withthe outer end of said skirtlike extension, a noncircular socket in theend portion of said plug member for reception of a device to rotate saidplug member, said plug member having a transverse bore in its endportion intersecting said socket and arranged to be aligned with thebore in said skirtlike extension when the plug member is in the selectedposition for locking, said bore in said plug member having at least aportion thereof with a diameter less than the diameter of the heads ofsaid plunger-type lock member, but sufficient to receive the shank ofthe same.
 2. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 1,including a handle member removably supported by said plug member, saidhandle member having a noncircular end portion complementary in shape tosaid socket in the end portion in said plug member for receptiontherein.
 3. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed in claim 2,including means to fixedly retain said handle member against axialmovement relative to said plug member.
 4. A tamper-proof rotary plugvalve as claimed in claim 3, in which said last mentioned means includesa set screw threadedly received in a threaded bore provided in the endportion of said plug member, said set screw engaging the noncircular endportion of said handle and said set screw being accessible through thetransverse bore in said skirtlike extension.
 5. A tamper-proof rotaryplug valve as claimed in claim 1, in which said end portion of said plugmember terminates at a predetermined distance below the end portion ofsaid skirtlike extension and including a closure plug having an enlargedhead portion and a reduced end portion of noncircular cross sectioncomplementary to the socket in said plug member, said head portion beingreceived in said skirtlike extension and lying substantially flush withthe end of the same when the end portion of said closure plug isinserted into said socket, said end portion of said closure plug havinga bore therethrough arranged to be aligned with the bore in the endportion of said plug member for reception of a portion of the plungertype lock member.
 6. A tamper-proof rotary plug valve as claimed inclaim 1 in which said bore in the end portion of said plug member isarranged to align with said bore in said sleevelike extension when saidvalve is in said closed position.
 7. In combination: an elongatedplunger type lock member comprising a first enlarged head, a reducedshank integral with said head, and a second enlarged cup-shaped headarranged to receive and be locked to the shank and released from theshank by key means axially inserted into the shank, and a tamper-proofrotary plug valve comprising a body member having a plug seat andprovided with a flow passage therethrough intersected by the seat, anannular skirtlike extension on said body member and surrounding an openend of said plug seat, said skirtlike extension having a boretherethrough transverse to the axis of the plug seat and of a diameterto receive the heads of the plunger-type lock member, said bore in saidskirtlike extension having a length at least as great as the length ofthe plunger-type lock member whereby the heads of said plunger-type lockmember do not extend beyond the exterior of the skirtlike extension, aplug member having a flow passage therethrough, said plug member beingrotatable in said plug seat between an open position and a closedposition for said valve, said plug member having an end portionextending into said skirtlike extension and terminating no greater thanflush with the outer end of the skirtlike extension, said end portion ofsaid plug member having a transverse bore therethrough arranged to beaxially aligned with the bore through said skirtlike extension when saidvalve is in the closed position, said bore in said end portion of saidplug member having at least a portion of its length with a diameter lessthan the diameter of the heads of said plunger lock, but at least asgreat as the diameter of the shank of the same whereby, when said valveis in said closed position, said plunger-type lock may be inserted fromopposite directions into the aligned bores and locked with the headsabutting an area around the reduced portion of the bore in said endportion of said plug member to prevent axial movement of the lock memberwith respect to the valve plug member.
 8. The combination as claimed inclaim 7, including an axially extending noncircular socket in the endportion of said plug member intersecting the bore therethrough, aclosure plug having at least an end portion of noncircular cross sectioncomplementary to said socket, said end portion of said closure plughaving a transverse bore therethrough arranged to be aligned with thebore in the end portion of said plug member, the bore in said closureplug having a diameter sufficient to receive at least a portion of saidplunger-type lock member.
 9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 inwhich the end portion of said plug member terminates at a predetermineddistance below the end portion of said skirtlike extension and in whichsaid closure plug includes an enlarged head on its end portion, the headbeing received in said skirtlike extension and lying substantially flushwith the end of the same.